Quick Hits: Indies going mainstream; playlist curators; wireless audio survey

Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web:

Streaming pushes indies to the majors: Pitchfork examined how streaming has impacted indie musicians, noting that many old guard acts that exemplified the genre such as Arcade Fire and Grizzly Bear, have struggled in the changing economy. Some may wind up shifting to major label deals rather than remain indie in the face of an uphill struggle to gain traction on streaming platforms.

Curators vs creators: Brian Reitz penned a post for the Music Business Journal about curated playlists, a perennial topic of interest. He addressed the growing divide between how curators and creators identify themselves.

Wireless audio survey results: Qualcomm surveyed people about their opinions around wireless audio. The 2017 State of Play report found that sound quality and ease of use are key purchase drivers for respondents. Additionally, 60% deemed battery life as “very important” in choosing a product. Interest in the product segment was notably higher in the 2017 version than in 2016.

Anna Washenko